You know, of course, that you can find the first chapter here...or find out where you can catch me on my two-week cross-country tour here (just added -- a reading at Vroman's in Pasadena on August 2!)

Finally, a question: what do you like to see on the back of a hardcover book?

These days, readers get two choices: a list of entirely complimentary quotes about the writer's previous works (because, duh, nobody's going to publish a this-writer-sux) quote, or a super-flattering, Easter-Island-size head shot, or full body shot, of the writer (because, duh, nobody's going to publish an ugly picture).

I'm not sold on either one...or, rather, I'm not sold on the idea that either looking at a big picture of the author's giant head, or reading a bunch of quotes about previous work, sells books.

Personally, I like wraparound art work, like on Stephen King's THE DOME. You figure, he's got enough name recognition that you know what you're getting without the quotes on the back, so you can just do a supercool front-and-back cover that's at least as alluring as either the headshot or the quotes would be. But what do you think? Let me know on Facebook or on Twitter.

Have a wonderful weekend, and I hope to see lots of you on my Cupcakes Across America tour!